Christmas is just around the corner, but a lot of families are still trying to set realistic gift expectations. Janet Bodnar, author of "Raising Money-Smart Kids," gives Tess Vigeland some advice.
A new study from the Pew Research Center says nearly one in seven parents with grown children had a "boomerang" kid move back home this past year. Apryl Lundsten reports on what it's like for young adults to return to the nest.
Marketplace's Brendan Newnam and Rico Gagliano chat with fellow staffers Rod Abid, Deb Clark and Stacey Vanek-Smith about under-the-radar business stories involving Charles Dickens' toothpick, Wal-Mart's site-to-store shipping, and Obama wrestling.
The economy is changing the way businesses and employees celebrate the holiday season. Adrienne Hill reports people are thinking creatively as they scale back.
Earnings at top technology companies like Oracle and RIM, the makers of the Blackberry, have been better than expected. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports investors are hopeful businesses are finally starting to spend money again.
Fortune Magazine's Leigh Gallagher and The Big Money's Heidi Moore talk with Kai Ryssdal about what's going on with the big banks, and whether we have missed our chance to regulate them.
Christmas trees are essentially recession proof, but it's still been a rough year for the industry. Some Oregon farmers are trying to make the best of it. Amelia Templeton reports.
Regardless of the outcome from the climate conference in Copenhagen, all the players there will be dealing with one major concern that isn't going away. Sam Eaton explains.
A "meaningful agreement" was reached as the UN climate conference wrapped up. European correspondent Stephen Beard talks with Kai Ryssdal about what that agreement entails and what happens next.
General Motors has announced it will be saying goodbye to the Saab. The automaker's talks to sell the brand to Dutch company Spyker appear to have collapsed. Jeremy Hobson reports.
A Parisian court has found Google guilty of copyright infringement in a case involving the search giant's effort to put books online. Steve Chiotakis gets the latest from Marketplace's Jeremy Hobson.
While nations are still trying to agree on how to cut emissions, many cities are already taking action. Bill Radke talks to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels about what the U.S. Conference of Mayors is hoping to accomplish in Copenhagen.
Avatar opens today with what some estimate to be a budget of half a billion dollars — with $150 million going to marketing alone. With that kind of push, some experts guarantee a mega-opening. Jennifer Collins reports.
For many small businesses, giving thank-you gifts to customers around the holidays is a marketing must. But how can you gracefully continue this tradition while scaling back on employee bonuses? Mitchell Hartman reports.
Television fees are at the center of a fight between News Corp and Time Warner Cable. Reports are that News Corp will start a marketing attack today against the cable giant. Jeremy Hobson details the fight.
Speaking at the U.N. climate change summit in Copenhagen, U.S. President Barack Obama insisted any agreement made by countries needed to include transparency. But is a deal close? Stave Chiotakis talks with Marketplace's Stephen Beard.
Marketplace commentators name their favorite finance and business books from the past year. Plus, see Kai Ryssdal's list of top books and his interviews with their authors.
Each week on Marketplace Money, host Tess Vigeland looks at the week's major national and international stories that will impact the average listener's wallet.
Laurent Corbier, chair of the International Chamber of Commerce and VP of sustainable development at energy firm Areva, talks with Kai Ryssdal about investment and climate-change policy.
A lot of people have suffered reversals of fortune this year — some have lost jobs and homes. Kai Ryssdal visits the Union Station Homeless Services center to see how people are coping.
In Michigan, the 174-year-old Ann Arbor News has become a mostly Web publication, but it still puts out a print edition twice a week. Jennifer Guerra reports on how the experiment is working with readers and advertisers.
It's Free Shipping Day. A made-up holiday when hundreds of online retailers offer free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas. Sally Herships reports.
World leaders are gathering in Copenhagen for the final day of the UN climate summit. John Dimsdale reports on how the conference is playing in the U.S.
Citigroup's stock price dropped to it lowest level in four months after investors said they weren't excited about the bank's stock and the government said it'd wait to sell holdings. So what happened? Alisa Roth reports.
Now that the public option is off the table for the Senate health-care bill, the insurance industry will get 30 million new customers. Gregory Warner reports on another part of the bill that's going to work out well for insurers, too.
The Senate Banking Committee approved Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's renomination to another four-year term by a vote of 16 to 7. Bernanke had supporters and opponents from both major parties, as Marketplace's Jeremy Hobson reports.
Some economists believe that humanity is doomed by its ever-dwindling supply of natural resources. Others believe in the power of technological innovations. Bill Radke explores the Malthusian debate with Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell.
Retail customers are lured to the store credit card in the check-out line with a 10-20% product discount. But the attractive initial offer may not compensate for the long-term burn. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
At the U.N. climate change summit, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. is ready to give long-term financial aid to poor countries for climate change. But there's a catch. Bill Radke talks with Marketplace's Stephen Beard.
How can addressing environmental issues benefit a company's bottom line? Steve Chiotakis poses the question to Ann Condon, Director and Counsel for General Electric's Environmental, Health and Safety programs.
Many former financial employees who found themselves casualties of the recession are still finding they're out of work. Many are ready to take lower-paying jobs to compensate, but Mitchell Hartman reports that may not be necessary.
A $154 billion job-creating bill passed the House last night with a focus on extending benefits, funding local governments and infrastructure. The bill had no Republican support. Jeremy Hobson reports.
A way to cut costs in the health care system is competition, but it's strangely missing from the Senate debate. Commentator Robert Reich says if Americans are going to be required to get health insurance, that must change.
One of the more contentious issues in the Senate debate over health care is whether to allow Americans import lower-cost prescription drugs from other countries. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
The U.S. and China are the world's largest emitters of heat-trapping gases. But they have big disagreements about how much carbon to cut and who should pay for it. Scott Tong reports.
At the UN climate conference, negotiations are crawling along as protesters take to the streets. Stephen Beard talks with Kai Ryssdal about what's going on in Copenhagen.
Cabin crews at British Airways have voted to launch a 12-day strike. If your travel plans include London this holiday season, things could get interesting. Christopher Werth reports.
New York City's public transportation system voted to approve massive budget cuts, including getting rid of free rides for students. Alisa Roth reports.
The IRS has extended favorable tax treatment worth billions to struggling banks like Citigroup that benefited from government bailout money. But what does that mean for people who bankrolled the bailout? John Dimsdale reports.
A report out today indicates that while Americans paid more for energy and food in November, most other prices were flat. Steve Chiotakis talks about the consumer price index rose with Richard DeKaser of Woodley Park Research.
The House passed a bill strengthening sanctions against Iran in an effort to step up pressure on the country to end its nuclear weapons program. Brett Neely explores what's involved in the bill.
European regulators dropped their antitrust case against Microsoft after the company agreed to offer customers a choice of rival Web browsers. Steve Chiotakis gets details from Marketplace's Jeremy Hobson.
Protesters at the Copenhagen summit are being met with riot police and tear gas as they try to represent a voice they say isn't being heard in the Bella Center. Bill Radke talks to Marketplace's Sam Eaton, who is at the scene.
Britain's BP invested more than $1 billion in renewable energies last year, but this year its investment will drop significantly. Bill Radke talks with BP's Howard Chase about what could turn that decision around.
Citigroup may have had more motivation to free itself from government debt than the pressure to keep up with other big Wall Street banks. Bill Radke talks with Marketplace's Jeremy Hobson about a quiet IRS exemption.
The president of the Copenhagen conference has suddenly resigned. Steve Chiotakis talks to Marketplace's Stephen Beard about why the move on is a bad sign for summit negotiations.
Taiwanese company Acer's mini laptop is the top brand for netbooks this holiday season, and the brand's overall success is just one indicator of the strength of Taiwan's tech sector. Scott Tong reports.
Housing has gotten a healthy amount of help from the government during the economy's rough patch, and today's new home construction numbers for November will tell us how well the sector is doing. Jeremy Hobson reports.
World leaders are starting to get pessimistic about the chances of reaching an agreement at the Copenhagen summit. Meanwhile, activists are being turned away on attendance issues. Steve Chiotakis talks with Marketplace's Stephen Beard.
Sexting — or sending suggestive text messages over mobile phones — has made its way into popular culture. But is it really that common, or just something seen on TV?
At the Copenhagen climate conference, some delegates are living the high life. But not all. Delegates from poorer countries are finding it tough just coping in Copenhagen. Stephen Beard reports.
Reporter Sam Eaton talks with Kai Ryssdal about why corporate leaders are in Copenhagen, and what the mood is like at the conference during its last days.
Kai Ryssdal reviews what listeners had to say about our climate change conversation with Al Gore, the conference in Copenhagen, iPhones and green patents.
More companies are asking employees to log on for video conferences or meetings in virtual boardrooms instead of logging miles. Sally Herships reports.
For cost-conscious travelers, the bus has always been a top choice. But now, new long-distance bus lines are rolling up hordes of travelers by using technology to up their hip factor. Andrea Bernstein reports.
Factories cranked up their output in November and wholesalers are raising prices. But that doesn't mean the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates. John Dimsdale reports.
It's been a wild week in the political fight over how to overhaul the U.S. health-care system. Having a little trouble keeping track of what's going on? Gregory Warner gives an update.
Addressing the U.N. climate change summit in Copenhagen, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's speech highlighted the power of transformation and new ideas. Stephen Beard reports.
With the Christmas shipping deadline looming, today is the busiest day of the entire year for FedEx. What's the chaos like for those workers? Bill Radke talks with Greg Mullgaard, a manager at FedEx's hub at Los Angeles International Airport.
A key measure of wholesale inflation rose last month at about double the rate economists were expecting. Bill Radke talks with economist Chris Low at FTN Financial about Producer Price Index and why we shouldn't worry about inflation.
